Studded or spiked sports shoes

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to sports shoe whose sole is provided with projections such as studs or spikes, wherein said projections are connected to the sole by means enabling their longitudinal position to be adjusted before being locked.

United States Patent 1 1 [111 3,882,614 Albaladejo [45 May 13, 1975 [54] STUDDED OR SPIKED SPORTS SHOES 3,354,561 11/1967 Cameron 36/67 D Inventor: Pierre Albaladejo, BOlS de Boulogne, 40100 Dax, France 321,606 1l/l929 United Kmgdom 36/67 D [22] Filed: Apr. 9, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 348,991 Primary ExaminerRichard J. Scanlan, Jr.

Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Lewis H. Eslinger; Alvin 30 Foreign Application Priority Data Smderbrand Apr. 24, 1972 France 72.14525 [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl 36/67 D [51] Int. Cl. A43c 15/00 This invention relates to sports shoe whose sole is pro- [58] Field of Search 36/67 R, 67 A, 67 B, 67 D, vided with projections such as studs or spikes, wherein 36/59 R, 59 B said projections are connected to the sole by means enabling their longitudinal position to be adjusted be- [56] References Cited fore being locked.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 Cl 12 D F I 2,918,733 12/1959 Anderson 36/67 D 0 'awmg PATENTED MAY 1 31975 SHEET 10F 3 PATENTED MAY 1 3197s 3. 882 6 l 4 SHEET 2 OF 3 STUDDED OR SPIKED SPORTS SHOES The present invention relates to sports shoes, with studded or spiked soles, for playing rugby, football, athletics, etc.....

In the past, the studs were composed of superposed leather discs; the user used to fix them with the aid of nails onto the bare sole in a position which suited the shape of his feet and his particular tastes.

Now, the shoes are mass produced and their sole is obtained by moulding a plastics material. Certain studs are integral with the sole; others, metal ones for example, are attached by being screwed in threaded bases incorporated, during moulding, in the sole.

This modern production of studded or spiked sports shoes presents numerous advantages such as lightness, suppleness, comfort, tightness, whilst having an excellent resistance to shock, and wear and tear. Another advantage is that the cost price thereof is reduced.

However, as the position of the studs or spikes is predetermined and fixed, experience has shown that, with shoes of the same size, the central studs or spikes are not located at the suitable spot for most players; only a few players among those having the same shoe size are satisfied because their metatarsal bones rest on these central studs or spikes whilst the others, whose metatarsal bones are not located precisely at that spot, have a feeling of discomfort, this leading to abnormal fatigue of the foot during the game, a loss of efficiency in effort and sometimes to a morphological deformation. Similarly, with shoes of the same size, the studs at the toe end are not located at the best spot for all players, since their position should be adapted to the particular touch of each player.

It is an object of the present invention to remedy this disadvantage of the present shoes, whilst conserving their advantages.

In accordance with the invention, the projecting elements, such as studs or spikes, are connected to the sole by means enabling their longitudinal position to be adjusted before they are locked.

Thus, for a given shoe size, each player may adapt the distribution of the projecting elements to the shape of his feet, his particular touch and more generally to personal convenience and comfort. This adaptation may be corrected or modified very quickly at any moment.

The means recommended by the invention for obtaining the above-mentioned advantage was not obvious for several reasons. Firstly, the former and present productions have been known for a long time and, if this means had been so obvious, the man skilled in the art would have exploited it since its manufacture presented no disadvantage, particularly from the point of view of manufacture and cost price. A second reason is that, as the sole is made of relatively thin moulded plastics material and the studs or spikes are located on the side of this sole in contact with the ground, it would have seemed unlikely that these studs or spikes be movable during adjustment and then that their fixing be effected with solidity. A third reason is that, as the studs or spikes are influenced by violent forces which sometimes cause them to break, it could have been thought that the means of adjustment would tend to weaken their fixation, all the more so as the direction of this adjustment coincides with that of the forces.

According to a preferred but non-limiting embodiment, each projecting element (stud or spike) abuts on a disc applied to the outer face of the sole and is connected by means of a threaded rod to a base placed against the inner face of this sole; the base is mounted around a pivot of the sole and integral with a piece which iseccentric thereto, the piece passing through a curved slot in this sole centred on this pivot; the piece in question may be a threaded ferrule cooperating with the threaded rod which is then integral with the corresponding projecting element; in addition, it may be advantageous that the disc has notches cooperating with other notches made transversely in the outer face of the sole.

The invention will be more readily understood on reading the following description of several embodiments given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view from beneath of the sole showing one way of distributing the studs.

FIG. 2 is a partial transverse section, on a larger scale, along line IIII of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial view from beneath of the shoe along line IIIIII of FIG. 2 (the disc and stud having been removed) and showing a first embodiment of the assembly according to the invention.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2, illustrating a second embodiment of the assembly according to the invention.

FIG. 5 is a partial view of the shoe, the inner lining having been removed, taken along line V-V of FIG. 4.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are partial longitudinal sections, on a larger scale, along line VIVI of FIG. I and shown a third embodiment and a variant of the assembly according to the invention.

FIG. 8 is a partial section along line VIIIVIII of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrating a fourth embodiment of the assembly according to the invention.

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 concerning a fifth embodiment of the assembly of the invention.

FIG. 11 is a partial plan view of the shoe in the direction of arrow F of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 1 1 illustrating a variant.

In the sports shoe, certain elements of which have been shown in the drawings:

1 designates the sole which is generally made by moulding a plastics material such as that known under the name of rilsan.

2 an insole, made of skin for example.

3 an upper whose edge is fixed by any suitable means beneath the insole which is itself applied, preferably by gluing, to the sole 1,

4 an inner lining, made of foam for example, covering the insole as well as the members incoporated therein, which are described hereinafter.

The following description relates to the assembling of studs 5 on the shoe, said studs abutting, by means of a disc 6, on the sole 1. Of course, it also applies to spikes.

This particular assembly may be applied to all the studs, but, due to its utility, it is preferably adapted to the centre studs 5m and, subsidiarily, although not necessarily, to the front sutds 5a (FIG. 1).

According to the first embodiment (FIGS. 2 and 3), the means for adjusting and locking a stud comprise a circular base 7 centred on a pivot 8 integral with the ample shown, according to which the stud to be fixed I is integral with a threaded rod 11, is a cylindrical nut.

The piece 10 passes through a curved slot 12 concentric with the pivot 8 and arranged in the sole 1. This latter comprises, finally, a boss 13 having transversely extending notches 14 capable of cooperating with other I notches 15 formed under the disc 6.

In order to determine the position of the stud 5, it is sufficient to rotate the base 7 about pivot 8 until the piece 111 is located at the chosen spot in the slot 12, then to fit the disc 6 on this piece so that its notches 15 engage in those 14 of the sole, finally to screw therod 11 into said piece 10 forming nut and to lock the stud 5.

According to the second embodiment (FIGS. 4 and 5), the means for adjusting and locking two transversely opposite studs. 5.1 and. 5.2 are constituted of two small flat levers 16.1 and 16.2 whose ends,.located in the centre part of the sole, are articulated to one another by axis 17. These levers are housed in a very clear recess 18 in the insole and, at their free end, pieces 19.1 and 19.2 in the form of cylindrical nuts project. As before, these pieces pass thorugh curved slots 20.1 and 20.2 made in the sole 1 concentrically to the place where the axis 17 should be, the average direction of these slots being longitudinal.

For positioning the studs, the pieces 19.1. and 19.2 are adjusted in slots 20.1 and 20.2 by pivoting the ledisc 6 is provided with projecting clips-34 ableto'pene- I trateinto the sole 1 inorder to maintain the studs,

. whose position was previously selected, in place.

To adjust a stud, the base 32 is mounted so that the I threaded rod 33 occupies the selected position in the 1 slot 31; then the disc 6 is fitted and the threaded stud 5 is screwed on this roduntil the locking obtained; A 2 during screwing, the clips34 of the disc penetrateinto.

the sole 1 and enable the stud to be fixed in position. Of course,.in all the embodiments illustrated in FIGS;

2 to 8, the stud 5 may be threaded to cooperate with y a threaded rod integral with the. piece 111, 19.1, 19 .2 or, 23 and, inversely, in the embodiment of .FIG. 9, the' stud may be provided with a threaded rod in orderto: I cooperate with a threaded piece integral with the base I I into the insole 2 so as to be fixed therein; this piece 35 vers 16.1 and 16.2, then the discs 6.1 and 6.2 are fitted i on the threaded rods 21.1 and 21.2 of the studs 5.1,

notches between sole and discs as in the first embodiment. I

According to the third embodiment (FIGS. 6 and 8) the sole 1 defines, at the location of each adjustable stud, a substantially rectilinear elongated slot 22 which is longitudinally oriented; a threaded piece 23 integral with a base 24 passes through this slot; the base 24 is housed in a recess 25 in the insole 2 and is wider than f the slot in order to be able in particular to abut along the edges thereof; ridges 26 and 27 for hooking purposes, of complementary shape, are formed transversely in projection on the opposite faces of the sole and the base. i

To mount a stud, the ridges 26 of the base are made to engage in those 27 of the sole so that the piece 23 occupies the selected position in slot 22, then after having fitted the disc 6 on the threaded rod 28, this latter is screwed into said piece 23 until the stud 5 is locked.

As before, and as may be seen in FIG. 7, transverse notches 29 and 311 may be made in the disc 6 and a boss on the outer face of the sole 1.

According to a fourth embodiment (FIG. 9), the sole 1 defines, as before, a rectilinear longitudinal slot 31 extending in the thickness of the insole .2, said slot.

5.2, and finally these rods are screwed in the pieces,

has a plurality of holesv36 which are regularly spaced 2 i I I out me. longitudinal direction'ythe holes 36 may be aligned (FIG. .11) or in fives (FIG. 12), this latter arrangement enabling the pitch of adjustment ofthestuds I to be reduced.

plying the disc 6 on the sole 1, this disc 6 covering all the holes, whichever one is used. I

The device to which the invention relates is ble to sports shoes having studs or spikes.

What is claimed is: A

1. A sportsshoe including asole havingaplurality of i i projections mounted thereon; and means in said sole of the projections; and means cooperating with 'said one projection for locking said projection, in its ad 1 justed position against movement during use ofthe shoe by thewearer.

2. A sports shoe as claimed of the foot- 1 3. A sports shoe as claimed in claim 1','in which each projection abuts on a disc applied to the outer face of the sole and is connected by means .of athreaded rod" to a base placed against the inner face: of this sole,

wherein the base is mounted about. a pivot of the sole and integral with .an eccentric piece with respect thereto, the piece passing through a curved slot in this sole centered on said pivot.

41. A sports shoe asclairned in claim 3' wherein the threaded rod is mountedin said mounting means, and 7 projection having a threaded aperture formed therein. a t

for threadedly receiving the rod.

5. A sports shoe as claimed in claim 1., inwhich each I i I projection abuts on a disc applied to theouter face of the sole andis connected by means of a threadedrod to a base placed againstthe inner face of this sole,

wherein the base is a small lever connected to thatof i the transversely opposite projection by means :of an axis of. articulation so as to constitute flat compasses, this lever being integral at the end with a piece passing 7 g According to the fifth embodiment (FIGS. 10 to -12), I v a metal piece 35 is inserted into the sole 1 and possibly For positioning a stud 5, it is sufficient to screwlits threaded rod 37 into thethreaded hole36 which is; chosen by the player and to lock the stud, by firmly ap-i applicain: claim 1, wherein. the I I adjusting means mount atleast those projectingele- I ments on the sole which support the metatarsal bones I through a curved slot in the sole centered on this axis.

6. A sports shoe as claimed in claim 1, in which each projection abuts on a disc applied to the outer face of the sole and is connected by means of a threaded rod to a base placed against the inner face of this sole, wherein the base is integral with a piece passing through a longitudinal slot in the sole and has, on the side of this piece, ridges capable of cooperating with other ridges on the inner face of this sole extending transversely.

7. A sports shoe as claimed in claim 6, wherein the disk has notches capable of cooperating with other notches made transversely in the outer face of the sole.

8. A sports shoe as claimed in claim 1 in which each projection abuts on a disc applied on the outer face of the sole and is connected by means of a threaded rod to a base placed against the inner face of this sole,

wherein the base is integral with a piece passing through a longitudinal slot in the sole, the disk being provided with clips capable of penetrating into the sole.

9. A sports shoe as claimed in claim 1 wherein said projections include a threaded rod, and said mounting means includes a threaded ferrule for threadedly receiving the threaded rod of the projection.

10. A sports shoe as claimed in claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes a base fixed in the sole and having threaded holes spaced longitudinally therein, said at least one projection including a threaded rod adapted to be threadedly received in said hole, and a disc applied to the outer face of the sole and covering said base whatever the hole selected in the base to receive the threaded rod. 

1. A sports shoe including a sole having a plurality of projections mounted thereon; and means in said sole for mounting at least one of said projections on the sole separately and independently of the remainder of said projections, said mounting means including means for adjusting the longitudinal position of said at least one projection independently with respect to the remainder of the projections; and means cooperating with said one projection for locking said projection in its adjusted position against movement during use of the shoe by the wearer.
 2. A sports shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjusting means mount at least those projecting elements on the sole which support the metatarsal bones of the foot.
 3. A sports shoe as claimed in claim 1, in which each projection abuts on a disc applied to the outer face of the sole and is connected by means of a threaded rod to a base placed against the inner face of this sole, wherein the base is mounted about a pivot of the sole and integral with an eccentric piece with respect thereto, the piece passing through a curved slot in this sole centered on said pivot.
 4. A sports shoe as claimed in claim 3 wherein the threaded rod is mounted in said mounting means, and projection having a threaded aperture formed therein for threadedly receiving the rod.
 5. A sports shoe as claimed in claim 1, in which each projection abuts on a disc applied to the outer face of the sole and is connected by means of a threaded rod to a base placed against the inner face of this sole, wherein the base is a small lever connected to that of the transversely opposite projection by means of an axis of articulation so as to constitute flat compasses, this lever being integral at the end with a piece passing through a curved slot in the sole centered on this axis.
 6. A sports shoe as claimed in claim 1, in which each projection abuts on a disc applied to the outer face of the sole and is connected by means of a threaded rod to a base placed against the inner face of this sole, wherein the base is integral with a piece passing through a longitudinal slot in the sole and has, on the side of this piece, ridges capable of cooperating with other ridges on the inner face of this sole extending transversely.
 7. A sports shoe as claimed in claim 6, wherein the disk has notches capable of cooperating with other notches made transversely in the outer face of the sole.
 8. A sports shoe as claimed in claim 1 in which each projection abuts on a disc applied on the outer face of the sole and is connected by means of a threaded rod to a base placed against the inner face of this sole, wherein the base is integral with a piece passing through a longitudinal slot in the sole, the disk being provided with clips capable of penetrating into the sole.
 9. A sports shoe as claimed in claim 1 wherein said projections include a threaded rod, and said mounting means includes a threaded ferrule for threadedly receiving the threaded rod of the projection.
 10. A sports shoe as claimed in claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes a base fixed in the sole and having threaded holes spaced longitudinally therein, said at least one projection including a threaded rod adapted to be threadedly received in said hole, and a disc applied to the outer face of the sole and covering said base whatever the hole selected in the base to receive the threaded rod. 